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Sunday, July 10, 2016

On July 10th, 1909, the Great Northern Railway
began electrified operations in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. But
before the electric motors went into service, the GN had to get their trains
over the Cascades via a series of switchbacks. This was a terrible waste of
time and effort (but at the time, it was unavoidable). In 1900, the GN opened a tunnel of about 2.5 miles in length.

This tunnel eliminated the switchbacks. However, the combination of heat and smoke emitted by
steam trains operating through this first Cascade Tunnel was so overwhelming
that engine crews and even passengers were overcome. So in 1909, an
electricity-producing power plant was built on the Wenatchee River not far from
Leavenworth, and a section of the line about 4 miles long was electrified
through the first Cascade Tunnel.

Cover of GE Bulletin No. 4755, dated June, 1910

Here are a few images and historic descriptions of this
electrification effort.

On August 27, 1909, a trade publication called Railway World
published the following explanation of the GN’s strategy to electrify the
4-mile section of their operations over the Cascade Mountains:

This tunnel has
always been a nightmare to passengers and to trainmen. It required an hour
after each train passed to clear it of smoke sufficiently to pass the next, and
its capacity was thus limited to twenty-four a day. To remedy this, a river
beside which the railway runs has been dammed twenty-four miles from the tunnel
and harnessed to an electric generator. Four electric locomotives are in
service and trains can now be sent through – with comfort to the passengers –
as often as the speed regulations will permit.

On November 14, 1908, the Railway and Engineering Review
published this article about the GN electrification project:

The General Electric Co. has
completed several electric locomotives for the Great Northern Ry. on its order
for rolling equipment for the Cascade Tunnel section of the road. This part of
the line is now in process of electrification and the electric locomotives will
be used for hauling both freight and passenger trains through the tunnel and
over the heavy grades adjacent. The length of this tunnel—about 2 3/8
miles—together with the fact that it is unequipped with ventilating shafts of
any description, has rendered the employment of some motive power other than
the steam locomotive almost a necessity. In addition to the danger arising from
the gases emitted by steam locomotives, and the possible obscuring of signal light
by smoke, the accumulation of sooty matter has given rise to a slipperiness of
the rails that materially increases the difficulties of the grade, which,
throughout the tunnel, is 1.7 per cent.

To meet the requirements of the
traffic, four of the electric locomotives have been ordered. Each of these
units will have a weight of approximately 113 tons, this weight being entirely
on the drivers, and will be equipped with four 400-h.p. three-phase induction
motors mounted on two articulated bogie trucks. The locomotive units are
designed to be operated by the Sprague-General Electric multiple unit control,
so that three or four may be operated from one controller on any unit.

In normal operation, two of these
units will haul a train having a gross weight of from 1200 to 1500 tons up a
grade varying from 1.6 to 2.2 per cent at a speed of 15 miles per hour. The
motors will be wound for 500 volts per phase, and will be fed from two
step-down transformers located on the car. They will be controlled by resistance
steps in the secondary or armature circuit.

On down grade the motors will
tend to control the train by regeneration, and at any speed in excess of 15
miles per hour, will return energy to the line, thus tending to assist other
trains that may be ascending the grade at the time. If, at the moment, there is
no such train to utilize this returned energy, it will be dissipated by water
rheostats at the power house. An additional advantage in thus using the
regenerative feature of the motors on a descending grade is, of course, the
braking effect and the consequent saving of brake shoes and tires.

Electric power will be supplied
from a hydraulic plant located on the Wenatchee River, and distant about
thirty miles from the tunnel. The generating equipment will consist of two
2000-kw., 25-cycle, three-phase generators, which will be driven by water
power. From the station the power will be transmitted at 30,000 volts by means
of duplicate transmission lines, and will be stepped down by transformers at
the mouth of the tunnel to 6600 volts. The locomotives will take the current
from an overhead wire, which will be of a modified catenary type, utilizing the
new fish tail strain insulator of the General Electric Co. The voltage on the
trolley wire will be 6600, and this pressure, as indicated above, will be
stepped down before entering the motors by transformers on the locomotive to a maximum
of 500 volts per phase.

The locomotives placed in service on the newly electrified
section were numbered 5000, 5001, 5002, and 5003. According to the seminal work by Ken Middleton
and Norm Keyes on GN locomotives, published in 1980 in RLHS Bulletin #143, these four
electric motors were delivered to the GN by General Electric in February and
March of 1909. The motors remained in service until they were replaced by new
locomotives in the mid to late 1920s, in preparation for the extension of
electric operations all the way from Wenatchee to Skykomish.

On November 12, 1909, a meeting of the American Institute of
Electrical Engineers was held in New York City. The keynote speaker of the
event was Dr. Cary T. Hutchinson of the Great Northern Railway. Dr. Hutchinson
provided the essence of a paper he wrote titled “The Electric System of the
Great Northern Railway Company at Cascade Tunnel.” Part of his abbreviated
material was published in an issue of the Electrical Review and Western
Electrician. Here are some
comments Dr. Hutchinson made regarding the first operations of the electrified
section in the Cascades:

The electric service was started
on July 10 last, although one or two trains had been handled previously. From
that time to August 11 practically the entire east-bound service of the company
had been handled by electric locomotives. During this period there were 212
train movements, of which eighty-two were freight, ninety-eight passenger and thirty-two
special. In each case, the steam locomotive was hauled through with the train.
The total tonnage hauled was 275,000 tons.

Dr. Hutchinson concluded his remarks by enumerating several
distinct advantages of electrified locomotion in this instance:

1.Maximum electrical and mechanical simplicity
This point is of great importance and was one of a number of reasons for using
the three-phase system. The motors will stand any amount of abuse and rough
use.

2.Greater continuous output within a given
space than can be obtained from any other form of motor This is shown by
comparison with other electric locomotives, which is due to the fact that the
losses can be kept lower in the three-phase motor than in any other type.

3.Uniform torque
This is important, particularly at starting. The three-phase motor will work to
a three or four per cent greater coefficience of adhesion than a single-phase
motor of fifteen cycles.

4.The possibility of using twenty-five cyclesThis is important, as it leads to a less cost and a better transformation
of power-station apparatus; moreover, it is standard and the power supply can
readily be used for other purposes as well as for traction; a commercial supply
can be provided.

5.Constant speed
This is ordinarily stated as a disadvantage of the three-phase motor. But it is
a distinct advantage in mountain service, particularly the limitation of the
speed on down grades. It has also an advantage on up-grades: meeting points can
be arranged with greater definiteness.

6.Regeneration on downgrades
This matter has been discussed since the earliest days of electric traction,
but has not been, up to the present time, put into practice. Although this
result can be attained with other forms or motors, yet it is most perfectly
attained by three-phase motors. There being no complications involved. This is
of importance in reducing the power-house capacity required for a given space.
Although no doubt the saving in power-house capacity will not be as great as
indicated by theory, owing to the various emergencies that must be provided for;
nevertheless, there will be a material saving.

7.Excessive short-circuit current is
impossible, and consequently destructive torque on the gears and driving
rigging is eliminated
There will be no necessity for the complication of the friction connection
between the armature and driving wheels, as in the recent large direct-current
locomotives.

8.Impossibility of excessive speed
Even when the wheel slips the speed remains constant. Therefore, the maximum
stresses put on the motor are less and are more accurately known than with any
other form of motor.

To be even-handed about the thing, Dr. Hutchinson then
enumerated six issues he framed as “the principal disadvantages of three-phase
motors for traction use” that were commonly stated to be the following
(although he also countered several of those points as they applied to the GN
operations):

1.The constant speed
This is rather an advantage for this class of service.

2.Constant powerThe fact is that the motor is a constant power motor, and therefore requires
the same power at starting and accelerating as at full speed.

3.Small mechanical clearanceIn this particular motor the clearance is one-eighth of an inch, which is
ample for all practical purposes.

4.Inequality of load on several motors of a locomotive
due to differences in diameter of driving wheelsTo meet this, an adjustable resistance is included in the rotor of each
motor. The motors are then balanced up and no further attention is required as long
as the wear on the driving wheels is approximately the same.

5.Low-power factor of the systemThis does not seem to be borne out by practice. The power factor, as shown
by the switchboard instruments in the power house, is eighty-five per cent.

6.Two overhead wiresThere is no doubt that two wires will cause more trouble than one, and in
case of complicated yard structure, it might not be practicable to use two
overhead wires.

One of the attendees of the banquet in New York was J. H.
Davis, electrical engineer with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Davis marveled
at the success of the Great Northern Railway in conquering their motive power
issues through the Cascade Tunnel, saying: “It is the first attempt in this
country to use the three-phase induction motor for handling heavy passenger and
freight trains on a trunk line railroad.”

Dr. Hutchinson practically made a second career for himself
on the speaking circuit, trotting the fruits of his work in the Cascades to
countless groups of professional electrical engineers. One of those sessions
was held in Pullman, Washington, with a group gathered at the State College of
Washington (later to be named Washington State University – my alma mater,
coincidentally). Some in attendance had worked on the tunnel the previous
summer.

Less than a year after the GN instituted electrified motive
power through the Cascade Tunnel section, a massive avalanche swept down
through the little railroad village of Wellington (later renamed Tye). This
disaster has generated a great deal of research and reporting. Even the
community of electrical engineers had their angle on the tragic events:

It may not be generally known
that the avalanche which occurred at Wellington, at the western end of the
tunnel, on March 1, caused considerable damage to the equipment of the system.
All four of the electric locomotives, with two trains, three steam locomotives,
and a rotary snow-plow, were swept away by the slide. Some idea of its force
may be gained from the fact that the weight of each of the electric locomotives
is 230,000 lb. A portion of the overhead catenary construction was also swept
away. The extent of the damage to the electric locomotives has not yet been
determined. If much of the apparatus has to be rewound, it may be six months before
the electric service can be resumed, as the locomotives will probably have to
be sent to Seattle or some other city for repair.

I don’t know anything about the efforts that took place
putting the line, and the electrification system, back in service after the
avalanche, but suffice it to say the repairs were eventually
accomplished. Jumping ahead several years, a new fleet of electric motors was
purchased to operate over the dramatically lengthened section of electrified
railroad between Wenatchee and Skykomish. The four original electric motors
were retired in May of 1927 as they were replaced with the new Z-1 and Y-1
electrics from about 1926 to 1928, just prior to completion of the new 8-mile
Cascade Tunnel.

From a November 14, 1925, article published in Railway Age,
here is an explanation of how the electric motors were operated in conjunction
with steam engines, and the typical times involved with running this motive
power mix over the Cascade Mountains:

A 2,500-ton time freight, out of
Seattle, or rather Interbay, the terminal yard, consisting of about 60 cars,
covers the 80 miles to Skykomish in approximately 5½ hours when hauled by a
250-ton Mikado type 2-8-2 oil burning locomotive having a normal tractive power
of 64,300 lb. At Skykomish, two 2-6 + 8-0 mallet type locomotives of 260 tons
and developing a tractive effort of 78,300 lb., are cut into the train at about
uniform distance apart, to assist on the 2.2 percent grade to Tye. Including a
delay at Skykomish for this operation of one hour and for water at Scenic of 20
minutes, the 21.4 miles to Tye is covered in 4½ hours. On arrival at Tye, the steam
helpers are replaced in 30 minutes by the electric locomotives located two
ahead and two in the center of the train, and from Tye, the run to Cascade
tunnel station is made in 22 minutes. Allowing 15 minutes at Cascade tunnel for
cutting out the electrics and inspecting air brakes, the train when reassembled
completes the remaining 53 miles to Wenatchee in four hours.

Additional sources
of information about Great Northern Railway electrification:

Friday, June 10, 2016

This date – June 10th – is quite
significant in the history of the Great Northern Railway. It was on this date
in 1929 that the Great Northern inaugurated one of the most successful and
popular transcontinental passenger trains in the nation – the Empire Builder.
The name of the train service paid homage to the founder of the Great Northern
Railway, James J. Hill. I don’t know when exactly the public began to refer to
Hill as the “Empire Builder,” but he earned that nickname early in his
railroading career, and it stuck.

James J. Hill - the Empire Builder

When Hill died on May 29, 1916, people across
the nation mourned his loss and recounted many of his remarkable
accomplishments. Hill’s insightful approach to building his transportation
empire included the practical notion that he must help build up the territory
served by his railroad in order to provide the commerce required to make the
railroad a success. It was vertical integration at its finest. His railroad was
among the last to be constructed across the western U.S., but it was arguably
among the most profitable, and certainly among the most impactful on the growth
of the west. The formula for success employed by James J. Hill was to operate
the longest trains, with maximum tonnage, over the straightest tracks, using
the least change in elevation. He helped expedite the growth of ranches, farms,
and whole communities across the Pacific Northwest. A book could be written on
this topic alone. In fact, several such books have been written.

Early view of Wellington, Washington, and the Cascade Mountain switchbacks of the Great Northern Railway

When Hill’s Great
Northern Railway reached the Cascade Mountains of Washington, the railroad met what
was arguably the most formidable obstacle on the entire system. Even crossing
the Rocky Mountains in Montana was easier by comparison. A route through the
Cascades was located, and when the line was completed in 1893, a series of
switchbacks were employed to move trains up and over the steep slopes and high
elevations of this mountain range. By 1900, a tunnel of about 2 miles in length
was constructed to eliminate the switchbacks. Still, there were much greater
efficiencies to be had, and frequent winter snow slides continued to plague the
line. Just a few years after the death of James J. Hill, the men with whom he
had surrounded himself to run the railroad finally helped fulfill one of his
goals – to dig an 8-mile tunnel under the Cascade Mountains and make that
portion of the line much more conducive to safe and efficient operation of the
railroad.

The decade of the
1920s was among the most impactful periods of time in the operation of the GN. Construction
on the new 8-mile Cascade Tunnel was underway by 1926. It was completed in late
1928, and was officially opened to daily operations on January 12, 1929. Then,
just five months later, the railroad inaugurated its new premier passenger
service. The train service itself was called the “Empire Builder,” but
individual Pullman coach cars were named to honor many other “empire builders”
of the northwest.

First advertisement for the Empire Builder in the Seattle Times - May 20 1929

For weeks prior to the
unveiling of the Empire Builder train, the Great Northern Railway spread the
word that its new varnish would soon be traveling the span between Chicago and
the coast with such speed as to “save a business day.” This was very big news
to many businessmen in those days – very big indeed. The route was structured
so as to operate trains westbound out of Chicago as trains simultaneously
operated eastbound out of Portland and Seattle. The Portland section would meet
up with the Seattle section at Spokane, where they would be consolidated as one
train for the remainder of the trip to Chicago. In the same fashion, the westbound
Empire Builder split at Spokane, with sections continuing to Seattle and
Portland. When you consider the “chicken and the egg” scenario as it applies
here, it is easy to understand that the new service was not inaugurated at all
until complete train sets were positioned at both ends of the route.
This, too, was an advertising opportunity in itself. Just prior to inauguration
of the new service, the trains were put out on static display, and local
citizens were encouraged to come out and see the lovely new passenger cars for
themselves.

﻿

The actual routing of the Empire Builder has been altered a few times over its first 87 years, but the map above shows (in red) the primary route.

The basic mainline
route of the Great Northern Railway was between the “Twin Cities” of Minnesota
(Minneapolis and St. Paul) and the coastal cities of Seattle and Portland, with
several vital branches and trunk lines. You’ll notice (if you weren’t already
aware) there is no mention here of Chicago. So the obvious question is: why
would the Great Northern start up a new high-class passenger service that
connected Chicago with the west coast if they didn’t even operate trains in and
out of Chicago? If it’s true that the Twin Cities location was basically the
eastern-most extent of the GN mainline, what’s up with bringing Chicago into
the mix? How did GN trains operate between Chicago and the Twin Cities?

Well, that can be a longer
story than you might imagine, but to be brief, the GN had a “close” business
association with the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad (a.k.a., the
CB&Q, the Burlington, the “Q”, the Burlington Route, etc.). In fact, the
“Burlington” in the company’s name is the same Burlington that paired up with
the “Northern” in the Great Northern and the Northern Pacific names to form
Burlington Northern in 1970. But that’s another story for another time. In any
event, the answer to bridging the apparent gap between Chicago and the Twin
Cities lies in that close business relationship. It was the CB&Q that
actually operated the Empire Builder trains between those points – not just on
the introduction of the new service, but from 1929 until 1970, when the Great
Northern Railway morphed into the Burlington Northern (with the “Q” as one of
those companies that merged together).

So now we’re back to
the inauguration of a new passenger service that will depart Chicago westbound
and two locations – Seattle and Portland – eastbound. From whence will the
first train depart? Chicago? Seattle? Portland? Perhaps simultaneously from all
three? Simple answer: Chicago.

Many enthusiasts of
the Great Northern Railway and/or the Empire Builder passenger service (myself
included) have for many years now considered June 11, 1929, as the start of
this notable train. Aside from a few service setbacks, this passenger train has
operated continuously (if not daily, throughout its entire history) since 1929.
In fact, Amtrak has now been operating a passenger train on this route and
under this name for more years than it was operated under the GN. In 2004, I
participated in a sizable observance of the 75th anniversary of the Empire
Builder train.

As a member and representative of the Great Northern
Railway Historical Society, I designed a commemorative pinback button to share
with train riders and other enthusiasts on that occasion. I also edited and did
the layout for a brochure that Amtrak partnered with and which was included in
a bag of treats presented to everyone riding the Empire Builder on its 75th
anniversary. The date on which we celebrated 75 years of service of the Empire
Builder was June 11, 2004. We were, technically, a day late. [but in our
defense, the brochure I helped to produce did point this out]

Back in 1929, the two Empire Builder train sets from
the west coast did not depart Portland and Seattle until June 11, which was a
Tuesday. However, the westbound Empire Builder departed Chicago on the night of
Monday, June 10. The misapplication of June 11 as the date when the service
began is almost like saying the historic WWII Allied Forces invasion of
Normandy occurred on June 5th, since in fact it was still the evening of the
5th everywhere in the U.S. except the east coast when the invasion was first
reported. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would suggest the history
books be rewritten to say D-Day happened on June 5th. The event itself was on
the northern coast of Normandy, and in the English Channel it was at the break
of day on June 6th.

As for the confusion among us historians and GN
enthusiasts, there is a logical and very supportable distinction about these
competing dates. None of us went completely batty and jumped on the wrong date
arbitrarily. Remember, this was a Great Northern train, and GN territory
didn’t extend any further east than the Twin Cities, corporate headquarters of
the GN. Although the Empire Builder train did depart Chicago on the night of
Monday, June 10, 1929, it did not enter Great Northern territory (and hence
begin operation completely in the hands of Great Northern train crews and other
employees) until it travelled 430 miles and reached St. Paul the next morning.
Throughout its 81-year corporate history, the Great Northern Railway conducted
executive-level business at its corporate headquarters in the city of St. Paul,
Minnesota. Passenger timetables issued to advertise routes and schedules were generally
limited to those train miles where the GN actually operated their own trains.
So despite the arrangements made with the CB&Q to bridge the gap between
Chicago and the Twin Cities (or more precisely, St. Paul), the Empire Builder
train was only operated by the GN between the coast on the west end and St.
Paul on the east end of the line. The GN’s passenger timetable issued to
coincide with the inauguration of the new Empire Builder train service was
issued with an effective date of June 11, 1929. It was about 8 a.m. on the
morning of Tuesday, June 11, 1929, that the first westbound Empire Builder
train arrived in St. Paul from Chicago and actually began operation as an
exclusively GN train. In the meantime, Empire Builder trains departing
eastbound out of Portland and Seattle did not depart until all the hoopla on
the east end of the line died down – it was later in the afternoon of June 11
that these trains began operation.

Cover of passenger timetable issued by the GNat the commencement of the Empire Builder service out of St. Paul

I think it was a defensible position to say the Great
Northern Railway began operation of the Empire Builder train on June 11,
1929, but for the sake of historical accuracy, I would say we have to massage
that a little and say the Empire Builder train has been operating since June
10, 1929. Even longer than most of us ever imagined – by the margin of, well,
just about a business day.

The grand inauguration of the new Empire Builder train
was an ambitious and in some ways taxing event. Commemoration of this new
passenger service between Chicago and the coastal cities of the Pacific
Northwest occurred during the one-hour special radio broadcast on June 10,
1929. The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Robert P. Lamont, participated from
Washington, D.C. After a few laudatory words heralding the positive economic
contributions to be made by this new, faster train service, Secretary Lamont
tapped at a specially wired telegraph key, an action that triggered a large
gong in Chicago. The sound of the gong signaled time for the train to pull out
on its inaugural run to the coast.

﻿

A remarkably serious-looking Commerce Secretary, Robert P. Lamont,as he readies to tap the telegraph key on June 10, 1929Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society

The radio broadcast included speeches by several
notable individuals, including a key representative of the railroad: the
vice-president of Operations of the Great Northern, Mr. Charles O. Jenks.

During the ceremonies captured on that Empire Builders radio program, the Old
Timer (actor Harvey Hays) actually boarded the Empire Builder train and rode it
out to Seattle. This must have been a real hoot for fellow passengers, once
they realized who he was. If they did, it probably would have been because they
first recognized his voice rather than his face.

Also traveling on that train were some other
dignitaries and representatives of the east, including Miss Chicago Commerce
(Miss Bess Mullen). A small band supplied by the GN was aboard, as was the
singing group that often represented the railroad, the “Great Northern
Quartette.”

In fact, so many fare-paying passengers were
travelling on the first Empire Builder, and so many additional people were
along for the festivities, that not one but two sections of the Empire
Builder train were operated westbound out of Chicago. Onboard the first section
was Operations vice-president C.O. Jenks, but he elected to keep a low profile
so he could concern himself with operating matters. Also on the first section
was W.A. Wilson, assistant general passenger agent of the GN. It fell to Wilson
to marshal the activities and appearances of the Old Timer (Harvey Hays) and
Miss Chicago Commerce (Bess Mullen). The GN’s vice-president, George R. Martin,
represented the railroad onboard the second section. One news report of the day
indicated the crew of the first section to depart consisted of locomotive
engineer Anthony Zinns and conductor Thomas F. Burke. The second section
departed Chicago twenty minutes after the first. It was piloted by engineer M.
Belknap and had John Needham as conductor.

Stops were made at significant stations along the
route and brief photo ops were exploited. Miss Chicago Commerce presented
letters of greeting to the various chambers of commerce in the major cities
where the train stopped – the letters were issued by Frank F. Winans, president
of the Chicago Association of Commerce.

Rare view of actor Harvey Hays (The Old Timer) speaking to the throngs of people greeting the first Empire Builder at St. Cloud, MN, on June 11, 1929Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society

In St. Cloud, Minnesota, the new Empire Builder
arrived at the railroad station on June 11th at 10:30 a.m., “on-time
to the split fraction of a second.” The St. Cloud Daily Times trumpeted the news that the exciting new train was
welcomed there by over 4,000 local citizens.

Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society

At Minot, North Dakota, the first westbound Empire
Builder train was scheduled to arrive at 8:30 p.m. on the 11th. Three
days prior to this, the Mayor of Minot issued a proclamation heralding the new
train and beseeching as many Minot residents as possible to turn out at the
depot for the big event.

When the first westbound Empire Builder arrived in Seattle, someone had the silly idea to bring a billy goat for the photo op.At least nobody was dumb enough to drag some poor mountain goat out from the city zoo instead.

In Seattle, both Hays and Mullen (and a few select GN
officials) met with members of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. Hays and Mullen
even participated on the air in Seattle, on a 30-minute program broadcast over
the NBC affiliate KOMO.

The following day, Mullen thought she was free of appearance
obligations, so she went shopping in Portland. She missed an event at which she
was expected, and, to her dismay, it made it into the newspaper that she had
“gone missing.” Ooops. Thus are the perils of newly-acquired “fame.”

Saturday, May 14, 2016

I have a strong interest in the history of the Great
Northern Railway. My plan is to use this blog as a platform to share
information about that history. There are thousands of possibilities,
especially when served up in “bite-sized” portions.

I’ve been collecting Great Northern Railway artifacts and
memorabilia for over forty years. I do have a few areas of this history that
are particularly intriguing to me, and that focus is reflected in both the
types of things I’ve collected and in the subjects I have elected to learn more
about.

One thing you will notice quickly as you see the things I post
is that I have very little interest in or knowledge of the actual railroad
operations. To many, that must seem pretty odd. But right from the start I was
drawn in more to the aspects of advertising and human interest. I’m one of
those people, kind of like George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” who thinks
the three most exciting sounds include train whistles. They represent the
opportunity to travel somewhere and have great experiences.

George Bailey: [George hears a train whistle] “There she blows. You know what the three most exciting sounds in the world are?”

Over the years, I have gravitated to the following topics: the
promotion of Glacier National Park; Great Northern passenger train service
(mostly the promotion thereof); advertising art of the Great Northern
(especially the Blackfeet Indian portraits of Winold Reiss); the origin of
place names attributable to the Great Northern Railway; and the topic that has
really grabbed ahold of me the past 8-10 years, the GN’s radio advertising
campaign called “Empire Builders.” At
least through summer of 2016, most of my blogging will be focused on the Empire Builders story. You can find my
blog devoted to that topic here:http://empire-builders-radio.blogspot.com/

My efforts with this blog are driven by two significant
factors: the time I can find to devote to this; and my degree of interest in a
topic (ultimately, I will do whatever I find enjoyable).

Is there a particular topic of Great Northern Railway
history that you want to know more about? Shoot me an email and let me know.

I might very well use your ideas or questions as a topic of a future blog essay.

Did you have a relative who worked for the GN? Please share
their story.

~ WANTED ~

﻿

My collection of GN artifacts is fairly extensive, but there
are certain items that I’m always on the lookout for. Please contact me if you
have any of the following items that you are interested in parting with, or
would be willing to photograph or scan for me (as appropriate):

·Anything related to the Empire Builders radio series, but particularly the following:

oCopies of original scripts (“continuities”)

oTickets or other passes issued to attend a live
broadcast at the NBC studios in NYC or Chicago

Sunday, December 20, 2015

How iconic it has become to add to the Christmas ambiance by setting up a model train around the base of the Christmas tree. I've wanted to do this for years, but have always had my heart set on using a locomotive and a set of cars that date back to the late 1920s.Several years ago I discovered some pre-war American Flyer O-gauge passenger cars marked with authentic Great Northern Railway logos and (most of them) bearing the "name-train" moniker of Oriental Limited. Over time I picked up over a dozen of the cars, nearly all through eBay auctions.Over the past summer I finally got to searching for one or two operating American Flyer locomotives of the same vintage as the passenger cars I had been accumulating. I found two in short order, and took them both to Eastside Trains in Kirkland, WA, for servicing. Neither one required significant repairs (although one was not initially operating). Both were cleaned and lubricated, and they run fine.

A circa-1928 American Flyer 3112 box cab electric locomotive,like the one I have and used in the video below.

As Thanksgiving neared (and with it, the pivot point on the calendar where the last morsels of leftover turkey are quickly disappearing and the Christmas decorations are going up in earnest), I went back to Eastside Trains and picked up a sufficient number of Fastrack curved sections to run a complete 5-foot diameter circle under our tree. I also bought an MTH RailKing Z-1000 transformer to power the train.I laid down the track and hooked up the transformer. To accommodate the power cord for the Christmas tree lights, I put down a vintage O-gauge pressed steel tunnel that I had picked up in November at the annual Boeing Employees Model Railroad Club swap meet. The power cord lays over the tunnel so as to not interfere with the train and tracks.

I'm not much for "smart phones." They intimidate me to no end. They make me feel dumb. They're "smart," and me, not so much. "Oy vey!" as my Scandinavian forebears used to say. (that's a joke. Uff da!)Anyhow, I finally figured out through trial and error (mostly error) how to shoot some video with my smarter-than-I'll-ever-be phone. I managed to download it to my computer, and edited the video by adding a couple of opening and closing frames and a sound track of the Glenn Miller Orchestra performing "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." If you are a fan of the Christmas standard "Christmas Story" that came out in 1983, you'll likely recognize this tune from the closing scene of the movie.So, here it is, my first and fledgling effort at slapping together a video with my smarter-than-I'll-ever-be phone, and some video editing software.And to paraphrase Glenn Miller and his orchestra, I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

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About Me

I am Scott Tanner. My primary purpose with this blog is to interact with people who share at least some of my interests in various aspects of the history and cultural impact of an American transportation company that no longer exists – at least not under the name it had for 80 years. The Great Northern Railway had corporate headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota, and its primary business function from about 1890 to 1970 was to operate a freight and passenger railroad between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul and the west coast, specifically operating into the Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, areas. Today, the GN lives on through its inclusion as a legacy company that helped form BNSF.